Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said, on Thursday, that governance has never stopped in the state despite the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that soon after the lockdown was eased, piloting of the state commenced, leading to the commissioning of a number of completed projects, while those undergoing execution were set for completion.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said this while speaking at the 2019/2020 Annual Press Conference Week Lecture of the Lagos State Governor’s Office Correspondents (LAGOCO), themed: “Rethinking Lagos For the Post COVID-19 Era.”
This was just as the State’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Sam Egube, disclosed that Lagos recorded 81per cent of the projected revenue for the first half of 2020, despite the COVID-19 scourge.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, listed the projects to include the rolling out of new buses for ease of transportation, launching new boats and channel-routes for waterways as well as commissioning of new health facilities, housing schemes, among others.
Speaking at the event, Egube, who was the guest speaker, and represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor, on Economic Matters, Mr Lekan Balogun, disclosed that the 81per cent performance of the projected revenue for the period under review stood at N432.6 billion.
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According to the commissioner, the Sanwo-Olu administration has been able to re-strategise to conform with the demands of the present realities, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that a good government is one which has the ability to respond when disturbances arise.
“Lagos State economy remains the largest and arguably the fastest growing economy in Nigeria. The state’s economy was projected to grow at four per cent prior to COVID-19. However, the COVID-19 has affected the possibilities of achieving such prosperous target.
“Having looked at the half of the year budget performance, it showed that despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the total revenue recorded in performance is at 81 per cent of our initial target,” Egube said.
The commissioner, however, said it was the strain brought by the COVID-19 pandemic that occasioned a contraction in the state’s budget by 21 per cent in response to constriction in economic activities.
Besides, he argued that the review of the budget was among others, necessitated by lower GDP growth, the decline in demands for good and services, and a shortfall in revenue generation, saying the exercise was
effected to maintain a strong response to the effects of the pandemic on food, ensure job creation, economic stability and economic reforms for ease-of-doing-business.
Egube disclosed that the experience of the lockdown brought the state government to the reality of the shortcomings in the state’s food storage system, which he said necessitated an increase of the allocation to Agriculture sector to N2.8 billion.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile, in his goodwill message, appreciated the members of the Governor’s Press Corps for the support given to Sanwo-Olu’s administration in terms of highlighting government programmes.
Akodile, while urging the journalists to continue in that regards, assured Lagosians the readiness of Governor Sanwo-Olu to deliver on his campaign promises.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State chapter, Dr Qasim Akinreti, lauded the state governor for showing exemplary leadership despite the attendant challenges, noting that Lagos had excelled to redefine the way things were done.
“Lagos has excel very well to redefine the way we do things. It is on record that when COVID-19 came, the governor stood up to be counted and responded appropriately.
“Lagos has become a reference point, other governors have come to borrow a leaf from Lagos State,” Akinreti said.
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